Mok Gao Beef Noodles 莫九 – Kulai’s Most Famous

The storefront of Mok Gao Beef Noodles

Mok Gao Beef Noodles in Kulai, Malaysia has probably the best beef noodles in the entire Johor state, and we personally have not encountered any beef noodles in Singapore that have come close. They are so famous that the ‘dry’ version of their beef noodles is sold out by 8am on most days. If you come after 9am you will find your noodle selection severely limited to the less popular choices like beehoon (米粉 mǐ fěn).

Kulai is Sheryn’s hometown and it is located just above Johor Bahru. It only takes 30 minutes to get there by car from the Singapore-Johor Causeway.

Service and Ordering

This was not my first visit to Mok Gao Beef Noodles and it surely won’t be my last. If you are here for their best dishes, please try and get here by 7:30am. In the past we would usually only arrive after 9am as we can only drop by Kulai on weekends, and who really wants to wake up before 8am on weekends? Thankfully we had an opportunity to wake up early for certain other reasons and we gratefully got there in time for their famous ‘dry’ version of their beef noodles.

The service at Mok Gao is not very different from the usual hawker fare in Singapore. You find a seat and you approach the lady staff to place your order. They are all smiles and you can ask them anything you want about their famous beef noodles.

Here is a quick translation of the signs pasted on the wall in the picture above:

Pork noodles and beef noodles are available from 4:30am to 11am, while pork noodles and seafood noodles are available from 11am to 3pm. The top row of prices refers to their pork noodles, while the bottom row of prices refers to their beef noodles. The prices are in Malaysian Ringgit. Yes, it is RM7 for their smallest bowl of beef noodles and this is considered expensive by Malaysian standards. Their seafood noodles is priced at RM9.

Mok Gao Beef Noodles

These are probably one of the most tender and delicious beef slices that you would have ever eaten in your whole life. The beef literally melts in your mouth and the included Malaysian savoury black sauce tastes delicious together with the beef and noodles. They also provide a very satisfying small bowl soup that is served separately if you order the dry version of their beef noodles. If I were to compare this with Hong Kong’s Kau Kee Beef Brisket Noodles it would be a really close fight. Mok Gao wins with its beef and black sauce while Kau Kee wins with its soup and noodles. We rate Mok Gao’s dry beef noodles 4.5/5.

The picture shows their small serving size and you can see there is still an ample amount of beef. I personally prefer yellow noodles (黄面 huáng miàn) and Sheryn prefers kway teow (粿条 guǒ tiáo). They have a wide selection of noodles to choose from as long as you come early enough. Also, if animal organs are not your cup of tea you may wish to exclude them (e.g. beef tripe or intestines) when you make your order.

Please note that if you wish to try the dry version of their noodles you must come before 8am. On weekends you may want to come even earlier, say before 730am. If you come any later they may have possibly run out of the dry version and you would have to settle for their less satisfying wet version.

Mok Gao’s kway teow beef noodles – we rate this on par with their yellow noodle offering at 4.5/5

This is their one-of-a-kind super delicious soup and we guarantee that you will slurp it down to the last drop

Here is the smiling and super friendly owner himself, Mr Mok Gao

Final Thoughts

I had previously eaten at Mok Gao Beef Noodles on a number of occasions – at least three or four times. However, I was only able to get the soup version of their beef noodles as I would never arrive before 9am. Also, there were times when only their beehoon noodles were left and I was really sad. On this one time that I was able to try their super delicious dry beef noodles with the yellow noodles or kway teow, I must say that I was very impressed with the high culinary standard attained by this nondescript food place without a proper signboard.

If you are a fan of beef noodles you must make the obligatory pilgrimage to Mok Gao.